By Connor Adams Sheets
Parents, teachers and people looking to set up fun activities to entertain their little ones got one more option this year with the opening of Dabby’s Party World in Whitestone.
A festive space for children’s parties, the business provides all the basics and accoutrements necessary to entertain young children — patrons just supply the kids.
Located in a colorful room upstairs at 11-02 Clintonville St., Dabby’s offers a wide range of parties for youngsters between the ages of 2 and 13.
Dabby’s co-owners, brothers Devon and Logan O’Connor, pride themselves on providing a unique experience with more personality than the average children’s facility.
“All the kids, they always love the parties. So far, there haven’t been any negative comments about the parties,” Logan said.
Devon, 19, and Logan, 17, restarted Dabby’s — which their father Tom originally opened in 2003 and closed in 2005 — in April, taking over a family business they loved when they were younger. They personally upgraded the space, which had been used for storage for five years, repainting walls, laying tile, installing lighting and more — and have already hosted about 100 parties since.
Their father approves of the job they — and only they — have done, and he vouched for the positive impact it has on the kids who attend Dabby’s parties.
“We don,’t do dopey parties. We treat the kids with respect and have a good time. If something’s working, you go with it, if they don’t seem interested, that’s it,” Tom said. “When we do parties, we ask you, ‘What do you like, what can we do for you?’ We customize everything. And people like it. When they leave, they’re unbelievably happy.”
Party-starters choose from a range of activities and decor themes and Dabby’s does the rest, guiding as many as 90 people on an excursion filled with fun and revelry.
One of the most popular themes at Dabby’s is the glow theme, during which children draw colorful designs on white T-shirts, and when the lights go out and the black lights come on, the kids have the chance to dance, play and celebrate in neon shades. The space also offers ceramics painting, food and other entertainment including Professor Dabby, a character the O’Connors’ father created in order to entertain little party-goers with magic, laughs and games.
Devon said it has been great to follow in his father’s footsteps, providing a service that brings people joy.
“It’s just kind of cool how we were like babies when we first started it, then we closed it and now it’s just us,” Devon said.
For more information about Dabby’s or to schedule a party, visit dabbys.com or call 718-693-2229.
Reach reporter Connor Adams Sheets by e-mail at csheets@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4538.
